This invention relates to an implement for bunching straw on the ground into piles and more particularly to a straw buncher having a plurality of ground engaging tines for collecting the straw and a basket for containing the collected straw.
When harvesting flax straw in particular, on a continuous cropping farm there becomes a problem with the straw that has gone through the combine. Flax straw is very tough and will not break down in time for the next years seeding. Seeding is impossible with flax straw left in the field because it becomes caught and tangled in the seeding implement. The use of implements is known for collecting and piling flax straw.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,742 to Lypka describes a flax straw buncher having an open frame supported on wheels and arranged to be towed behind a combine. The flax straw buncher includes a rake extending transversely to the towing direction having a plurality of ground engaging tines for gathering straw. The frame however, is very low to the ground providing little clearance over straw which may already be partially piled in a heap or in a row. The rake is limited in the amount of straw which can be gathered as the straw is not prevented from being pushed over the rake or around the sides of the rake thus leaving bits of straw strewn about as the buncher passes over the ground when large amounts of straw are collected.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a straw buncher comprising;
a frame being supported on a pair of wheels;
a hitch mounted on a forward end of the frame; and
a basket pivotally mounted on a rear end of the frame, the basket comprising:
a pair of side collecting members extending rearward from respective sides of the frame, the side collecting members being positioned adjacent to the ground so as to extend generally upward therefrom;
a rear collecting member connected between respective rear ends of the side collecting members, the rear collecting member being positioned spaced upwardly from the ground; and
a plurality of tines extending generally downward from a bottom end of the rear collecting member for engaging the ground;
the basket being pivotal relative to the frame such that the basket may be raised upwardly from the ground to a transport position spaced from the ground for releasing straw which has collected in the basket into a pile on the ground.
The rear and side collecting members each preferably comprise a generally upright sheet of wire mesh, the sheets of wire mesh having first wires extending in a first direction and second wires extending in a second direction transversely to the first direction for collecting straw while permitting small debris to pass therethrough.
The rear collecting member may comprise a pair of upright inclined portions extending rearwardly and inwardly from the respective side collecting members to respective inner ends spaced from each other and an upright central portion connected between the inner ends of the upright inclined portions.
The plurality of tines preferably extend downward from the bottom end of the rear collecting member at a forward incline towards the hitch.
There may be provided a rear mounting bar mounted along the bottom end of rear collecting member, the rear mounting bar mounting the plurality of tines thereon. When using the rear mounting bar he rear mounting bar is selectively separable from the rear collecting member such that the tines may be removed and replaced.
There may be provided a slider bar mounted along a bottom side of each side collecting member, the slider bar being arranged to engage the ground for sliding movement thereon when the buncher displaced in the forward direction.
Preferably a pair of hydraulic piston cylinders are mounted on the frame, each hydraulic piston cylinder being connected to the basket for pivotal movement of the basket in response to extension and retraction of the hydraulic piston cylinder. Each hydraulic piston cylinder is preferably mounted on a top side of the frame above a corresponding one of the wheels such that the hydraulic piston cylinder is shielded from any debris on the ground.
There may be provided at least one connecting member pivotally mounted on the frame at a first end and being arranged to mount on the basket in the transport position at a second end for securing the basket in the transport position.
Preferably there is provided adjustable mounting means mounting the frame on the hitch at numerous relative heights therebetween such that the hitch may be coupled to various towing vehicles.
There may be provided an upper collecting member extending upward from the rear collecting member above the frame and side collecting members for ensuring that no straw will spill over the top of the basket as the straw is collected.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a straw buncher comprising;
a hitch arranged to connect to a towing vehicle;
a frame comprising:
a pair of hitch members mounted at first ends on the hitch so as to extend rearward and outward therefrom to respective second ends spaced from each other, each hitch member being at an upward incline from the first end to the second end; and
a pair of side members extending rearward from the respective second ends of the hitch members;
a pair of wheels mounted below the respective side members of the frame, oriented for movement in a forward direction; and
a basket pivotally mounted on a rear end of the respective side members, the basket comprising a generally U-shaped collecting member and a plurality of tines extending downward therefrom for engaging the ground;
the basket being pivotal relative to the frame such that the basket may be raised upwardly from the ground to a transport position spaced from the ground for releasing straw which has collected in the basket into a pile on the ground.
A crossbar may be mounted between the second ends of the hitch members for added structural support.
A pair of wheel support members is preferably mounted on respective side members so as to extend downward therefrom, each wheel support member mounting one of the wheels thereon such that the frame is supported above the wheels for further spacing the frame upward from the ground.
The basket preferably comprises:
a pair of side collecting members extending rearward from respective sides of the frame, the side collecting members being positioned adjacent to the ground so as to extend generally upward therefrom;
a rear collecting member connected between respective rear ends of the side collecting members, the rear collecting member being positioned spaced upwardly from the ground; and
a plurality of tines extending generally downward from a bottom end of the rear collecting member for engaging the ground.